An identity work for the city of Arezzo, not only for the faithful, is also symbolic. The picture of Saint Lucia is a creation of Rasty, an artist who loves Syracuse and keeps its value high. The latter, with his wife, wonders how this work can be placed, in order to make it usable for the community, both Syracusans, tourists and travelers.
References of the work on the life of the saint
It represents the Syracusan patroness crowned by angels: an aspect that represents divine justice. The crown in fact presents the emerald set, referring to this meaning; Lucia receives her for her unshakable faith. She was born in 283 and died in 304 AD; when she realizes that her rich class cannot help her and her mother, she approaches spirituality. According to the Christian faith, God exhorts Lucy to acquire wisdom, a gradual path that leads to knowledge and then to righteousness. A message reported by the writings on the painting.
Lucia comes from a wealthy family that is later seen turning away from the others. At a certain point in her existence, she gave everything to the poor and this was a fundamental step towards righteousness. In the painting there is a detail, a casket with treasures, recalling this aspect.
Picture of Saint Lucia: its symbolism
In the work there are numerous references on the history and symbols of Syracuse. On the right of the painting there is a representation of via Eolo, also defined road of the seven winds for the air currents that blow intensely. Until recently, the street was a passage for the procession that reached the former Bourbon prison. Along the floor on which the moment of the coronation takes place there is the Greek, that is, the pentatheque, with the five points. They indicate the most atavistic areas, as well as those of greatest archaeological interest, of the city. The blue represents Ortigia, the yellow Epipoli, the red Tiche, the green Akradina, and the white Neapolis.
In the painting Rasty he also depicted the Corinthian capital, reference to the Greek colonization of the city in 734 BC Another representation of a vase from a funerary outfit, correlation with Greek mythology; of the eagle, emblem of Syracuse. Reference also to the deca drama coin, preserved in the Paolo Orsi museum and depicting the head of Arethusa. Finally, around the pentateca there are the acanthus leaves.
The emotions of the work
Rasty affirms that whoever comes to visit him in his studio is as entranced as he is moved by the beauty of the painting of Saint Lucia. Visitors also ask the artist how to make the work more visible, how can they be set up. Creation manifests the profound universe-world-cosmos connection, which indicates and brings out the divine. Furthermore, it constitutes a well-intertwined union between spirituality and mythology. Rasty intends to participate in other exhibitions and is also preparing a work on Archimedes. Another representative figure of the city, an excellent mind on mathematics, physics, astronomy, thermostatic equilibrium, sandstone calculus study. The painting of Saint Lucia is a creation that comes from the heart and from the deepest divine in Rasty, an artist who holds up the name of Syracuse.